World Expo opens in Japan amid rocky times

The Grand Ring is seen on Friday (April 11, 2025) prior to the opening day of Osaka Expo 2025 in Osaka, western Japan on Sunday (April 13, 2025). - Photo: Kyodo News via AP

OSAKA, (Japan): World Expo opened on Sunday (April 13) with 160 countries and regions showcasing their technology, culture and food, with host Japan hoping to provide the world with some much-needed hope.

Highlights at the show in Osaka until mid-October include a Mars meteorite, a beating artificial heart grown from stem cells and Hello Kitty figures in algae form.